


Just In Case

by starsandsupernovae



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Children, I can't believe i need to specify this but apparently??? I do?????, Not a ship, Number Five | The Boy Needs A Hug, They hug eachother, Umbrella Academy - Freeform, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug, does it count as a kidfic?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 17:30:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18015257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsandsupernovae/pseuds/starsandsupernovae
Summary: Vanya and Five are kids and it's cute and happy and then it's not





	Just In Case

Vanya stared at the clock and sighed. The numbers glowed back at her, unapologetically unchanging. 6:42. It seemed to have been 6:42 forever this afternoon, a forever she spent sitting in her room while her siblings were all out together doing what she would never be able to. She jumped at the slam of the doors downstairs, carefully putting away her violin and running to her door as the rest of her brothers and sister all filed past without so much as a hi, going to enjoy their rare bit of free time after a mission. All but one.

“Hey Vanya.”

Five came into her room and took the chair by her desk, peering into her mirror as he ran his fingers through his hair. 

“How’d it go?” Vanya asked, out of routine more than curiosity. 

“It was boring.” Five said, wrinkling his nose at his reflection. “How was it here?”

“Boringer.” Vanya answered, happy to have the formalities out of the way so she could join him at the mirror, making a face of her own, blowing out her cheeks and widening her eyes. 

Five almost but didn’t quite smirk, pulling his own face the one that always worked, crossing his eyes and puckering his lips.

This time Vanya was ready, twisting her features into a face Five had not yet seen, her secret new weapon. And indeed it worked, causing him to slip, letting out a giggle and then laughing out loud. 

“This time I win!” Vanya called out triumphantly as she burst into laughter of her own. 

“For the first time ever.” Five answered, sticking out his tongue at her. But there was no tension, just laughter, a rare moment of lighthearted fun. 

“Number Five. Number Seven. You both have class now.”

The two jumped to see Reginald standing in the doorway with his trademark disapproving frown.

“I don’t want to have to punish the two of you. Leave.”

 

Five moved to jump up but Vanya grasped his wrist in a quick motion.

“It’s not worth it.” she whispered and he nodded, understanding and resigning.

The two of them filed out the room, faces devoid of smiles, atmosphere devoid of fun. 

__________________________________________

“What do you wanna do?” Vanya asked, lying upside down on Five’s bed, legs up on the wall, hair hanging down.

“I dunno, what do you want to do?” Five asked from the same position beside her.

“I dunno, what do you wanna do?” Vanya replied, trying to think of what would take the half hour they had of   
recreation.

“We could just sit around and ask what we wanna do for forever.” Five answered pragmatically and Vanya pulled a face, flipping right side up. Her blazer fell off as she did, and Five reached down to hand it to her, seeing her wrist as he did.

“I don’t know why you want one, honestly.” He said, looking at the now faded marker imitation of the umbrella   
tattoo. “They hurt and they’re just annoying.”

Vanya shrugged. 

“All of you have one.”

Five stared silently for a moment before grabbing a sharpie from his desk.

“At least let me draw it for you. Your lines are all wobbly.”

Vanya stuck out her arm.

“We only have twenty more minutes.” She said as he drew the umbrella, face screwed up in concentration.  
He set down the marker.

“Twenty minutes isn’t enough.” He said, flopping back down on the bed. “I want more time.”

“Yeah.” Vanya agreed, admiring her new sharpie tattoo. Five’s lines were straighter.

“One day I’m gonna get us out of here.” Five said suddenly. “I’m gonna get better at my spatial jumps. And then I’m gonna learn how to jump in time. And then we’re gonna leave. We’re gonna go to a time where we can draw and you can play your violin and do whatever we want for however long we want and Dad can never find us.”

Vanya smiled at the thought before asking-

“You’re not gonna go without me right? Because I can’t help?”

“Of course not.” Five answered matter of factly. “I don’t want to go alone that would be boring. Besides, I can’t play the violin.”

Vanya nodded satisfied with the answer. Five would take her with her if he ever left, he would never be able to play. It took too much patience.  
_________________________________

So when he left, Vanya knew he would come back. While everyone else worried and leaned on each other for comfort Vanya stayed alone in her room, playing her violin. She didn’t want to be out of practice when he came back. She looked at the umbrella on her wrist still dark black against her skin and wondered if she’d get one for real after they left. She heard the others be sent to bed, Dad always ensured that 1-6 got their sleep. He seemed to forget about her though, for which tonight she was grateful. She needed to stay up for Five tonight because he was coming back fo her so they could leave together. She crept downstairs with her blanket and switched on a small light so she would stay awake. She made it until 2:31.

“Vanya, darling, what are you doing here?” Grace shook her awake gently. Vanya blinked the sleep from her eyes looking up at her mother.

“Is Five back now?” she asked, stretching. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep she wanted to stay awake for him, what if he was annoyed she hadn’t waited up-

“He’s not here.” Grace said, already folding the blanket.

“What?” Vanya didn’t understand. “He didn’t come home yet?” 

“Not yet.” Grace was soft as she ushered Vanya up to change her clothes and get ready for the day.

That night Vanya went down again, switching on the light and making herself a marshmallow sandwich. After a moment of pause she made another one for Five. She didn’t know where he went, after a day he was probably hungry. They could eat and then leave together. She sat and looked at the umbrella on her wrist, just starting to get smeared around the edges, blurring his sharp lines. She made it until 1:47 that night.  
The next night she didn’t try to stay up just sat on the couch and left out a sandwich. The umbrella was fading and normally she’d re draw it now. But Five would do that when he came back. Her lines were wobbly, she’d just wait.

The umbrella faded further. Grace was getting worried she said, Vanya needed to stop sleeping downstairs and she did, moving to her bedroom, only sneaking out to turn on the light and leave out a snack. Just in case.  
Vanya woke up to the loud siren calling the others to a mission. She sat up in bed, turning on the lamp before realizing there was no point in her waking. She reached out to shut it off and saw her arm was clear.

She left no light on that night.


End file.
